"'In a year from now I'll have money to burn,' he says. 'For one
thing, my daughter's education is finished, an' that has cost
heavy.'

"'How much would it cost to unlearn it?' I asked. 'That's goin' to
cost more than it did to get it, I'm 'fraid. In my opinion the
first thing to do with her is to uneducate her.'

"That was like a red-hot iron to Sam. It kind o' het him up.

"'Why, sir, you don't appreciate her,' says he. 'That girl is far
above us all here in Pointview. She's a queen.'

"'Well, Sam,' I says, 'if there's anything you don't need just now
it's a queen. If I were you I wouldn't graft that kind o' fruit on
the grocery-tree. Hams an' coronets don't flourish on the same
bush. They have a different kind of a bouquet. They don't
harmonize. Then, Sam, what do you want of a girl that's far above
ye? Is it any comfort to you to be despised in your own home?'

"'Mr. Potter, I haven't educated her for my own home or for this
community, but for higher things,' says Sam.

"'You hairy old ass! The first you know,' I says, 'they'll have
your skin off an' layin' on the front piaz' for a door-mat.'

"Sam started for the open air. I hated to be ha'sh with him, but
he needed some education himself, an' it took a beetle an' wedge to
open his mind for it. He lifted his chin so high that the fat